Changes Announced for Captain's Club Member Benefits

[ChucktownSteve]

One thing I learned in business was give my customers something with a high perceived value and low out of pocket cost for FREE.  They renewed for years.  Guess Queen Lisa never thought of that.  She does  the opposite.  Take away something with perceived value and hide the charge for it.

Edited November 20, 2020 by ChucktownSteve

[docruth]

12 hours ago, TeeRick said:

... definitely go ??  It is quite common here on CC for members to say they are fed up and will never ever ever cruise Celebrity again.  But then we continuously see the same posters .. 

 

Yea verily, well stated.

 

I’ve always looked to CC to constructively discuss changes, suggestions, experiences and other ‘good stuff’. I’d love for us to regain that regain that vibe, and lower the volume on the b***** posts.

[mregis]

Thanks for all the kind words about our disappointment.  We did have our party and the dinner with the Senior officers -- outstanding! Sent party of the "cake" to share in Micheal;s Club.  We booked our complimentary cruise for this spring --cancelled. Rebooked our complimentary cruise for next spring (fingers crossed). Still haven't booked the 2 cruises worth of FCCs with the third also booked for next spring (again fingers crossed).

Did you know that at first you could "stack" FCCs (i.e. use more than one for each booking), but the last time I talked to Celebrity, they said that had changed, only one per cruise.  I guess I will cash in the smaller ones (like $100).

Back on the original subject. Am I naive to think that loyalty is a 2-way street?  If I am loyal to you, then you reciprocate and are loyal to me?  I guess Lisa and the powers that be at Celebrity don't understand that.  For those, who like me, are considering other options - great, but don't think for a moment that Celebrity cares whether we come or go.  Especially, we "boomers".

BTW the list of cruises in my signature is way out of date....

 

[Shadow9612]

11 hours ago, basenji56 said:

Wait until everyone realizes that they will never be able to use most of their FCC because the deadline expired before Celebrity sailed again! LOL.

 

I sure hope they extend the FCC deadlines.... 

 

[mregis]

37 minutes ago, Shadow9612 said:

I sure hope they extend the FCC deadlines.... 

 

If you have a problem fitting in a trip or 2 before they expire, you can cash them in @ 100%. You lose the extra 25%, which was only an incentive to keep people from asking for refunds which would impact the cash flow of the cruise line.  

[TommyD3]

7 hours ago, mregis said:

If you have a problem fitting in a trip or 2 before they expire, you can cash them in @ 100%. You lose the extra 25%, which was only an incentive to keep people from asking for refunds which would impact the cash flow of the cruise line.  

Plus the cruise prices are now 200% what they were for the cruises we got the 125% FCC for !!!

[basenji56]

9 hours ago, mregis said:

 

Did you know that at first you could "stack" FCCs (i.e. use more than one for each booking), but the last time I talked to Celebrity, they said that had changed, only one per cruise.  I guess I will cash in the smaller ones (like $100).

 

 

 

Letting people "stack" FCCs is a small thing that would be a big help.  I had been told that I couldn't get a refund of 100% on my FCCs but I will double check on this today.  

 

 

[baypeople]

On 11/18/2020 at 7:40 PM, 39august said:

Re: Cafe Al Bacio Isn't there a Bacio II in the OVC on S class that also makes those specialty coffees? Not so crowded maybe if not at meal times. 

Yes.  But the quality of the coffees varies greatly as they are not really up to making it as they do in Al Bacio.

[shavdog]

I haven't been around much with all the other bs going on.....we're elite members and to find out what they are doing to the family that supports their business is upsetting...we really did enjoy going up to the sky lounge before dinner....we always felt just alittle special  and appreciated the recognition for being loyal to Celebrity.....after reading the new policies, I don't know what to think....so a couple goes on 50 cruises  with Celebrity, spends $350,000 and gets a mighty have a good day for your loyalty....that doesn't sit well....I haven't told my wife but I imagine what she will  say won't be a positive.....they should rethink how they are doing this with their loyal customers.....are similar changes being made over at rc?....Looks like the Boomers are being sent out to pasture.....

Edited November 20, 2020 by shavdog

[Shadow9612]

23 hours ago, mregis said:

If you have a problem fitting in a trip or 2 before they expire, you can cash them in @ 100%. You lose the extra 25%, which was only an incentive to keep people from asking for refunds which would impact the cash flow of the cruise line.  

Thank you for this info, but my FCCs are for Non-Refundable deposits on cruises I cancelled prior to final payment  ☹  (so no 125%)

 

I can’t cash those FCC in, can I?

Edited November 21, 2020 by Shadow9612

[ChucktownSteve]

6 hours ago, Shadow9612 said:

Thank you for this info, but my FCCs are for Non-Refundable deposits on cruises I cancelled prior to final payment  ☹  (so no 125%)

 

I can’t cash those FCC in, can I?

 

The best thing to do is call Celebrity or your TA for the accurate answer  However sometimes when you get a "no" from Celebrity, if you call back  and speak with someone different, you get the opposite answer.

 

If you get a "yes", don't call back for the opposite answer. 😁

Edited November 21, 2020 by ChucktownSteve

[wrk2cruise]

9 hours ago, Shadow9612 said:

Thank you for this info, but my FCCs are for Non-Refundable deposits on cruises I cancelled prior to final payment  ☹  (so no 125%)

 

I can’t cash those FCC in, can I?

 

The only answer you will receive for any FCC except those issued for 125% of a suspended cruise (by Celebrity) is NO.   These are the terms you signed up for when selecting a NRD.   The only thing I'd expect from Celebrity might be an extension due to the extended no sail period.

Edited November 21, 2020 by wrk2cruise

[Vagabond Knight]

Honestly, some of the posts on here have me shaking my head.  First, for those who claim to be heading to other cruise lines due to a change in perks, I think it's reasonable to assume that there may be changes in other lines as well since every line was hit by the pandemic effect.  Yesterday's Viking, Oceana or whatever may not be tomorrow's Viking, Oceana or whatever.  Second, some of you make it sound like you had to ENDURE many cruises to get you to your Captains Club level and getting to a higher level was the goal rather than the goal being to enjoy some wonderful cruises.

 

I guess I have a different viewpoint. We cruise to enjoy the moment... to enjoy the views and destinations, the onboard entertainment, the food and drink, the interesting staff, and meeting other cruisers. If, along the way, we pick up some perks because we've reached a higher loyalty club level, that's cool.  However, we chose our cruises for the destinations/itinerary and dates, and for what the ship offers in service, comfort level, entertainment, food and drink (and I don't mind paying for the level of drinks I prefer). We like the Celebrity experience because we feel they do very well in the service areas that are important to us. 

 

I think some of you may find that you enjoy life more if you make your goal to enjoy each moment of every cruise as much as possible and try not to worry about what level you are and what freebie/perk you might miss out on.  Sure, Celebrity has gotten a lot of your money if you've achieved a high level in the loyalty club, but hopefully the cruises you've gotten for that money have been full of fun times and yielded great memories and friendships, and they haven't just been a stepping stone to a higher Captain's Club level. We was supposed to hit the next level after our next two cruises, but would be perfectly fine with them eliminating the Captain's Club perks if that would help the company survive.  We cruise for the cruises, not for the levels and perks.

 

Anyone who thinks the cruise lines can just bounce back to "normal" when they get the go ahead to cruise if fooling themselves. The world has changed due to this pandemic and we shouldn't expect everything to go back to the way it was before. Unfortunately, that includes the products provided by our favorite businesses, including the cruise lines.  Sanity will be found in flexibility, acceptance that there will be changes, and figuring out how to best adapt. Life is too short to always look at the negatives. 

[TeeRick]

1 minute ago, SunsetPoint said:

Honestly, some of the posts on here have me shaking my head.  First, for those who claim to be heading to other cruise lines due to a change in perks, I think it's reasonable to assume that there may be changes in other lines as well since every line was hit by the pandemic effect.  Yesterday's Viking, Oceana or whatever may not be tomorrow's Viking, Oceana or whatever.  Second, some of you make it sound like you had to ENDURE many cruises to get you to your Captains Club level and getting to a higher level was the goal rather than the goal being to enjoy some wonderful cruises.

 

I guess I have a different viewpoint. We cruise to enjoy the moment... to enjoy the views and destinations, the onboard entertainment, the food and drink, the interesting staff, and meeting other cruisers. If, along the way, we pick up some perks because we've reached a higher loyalty club level, that's cool.  However, we chose our cruises for the destinations/itinerary and dates, and for what the ship offers in service, comfort level, entertainment, food and drink (and I don't mind paying for the level of drinks I prefer). We like the Celebrity experience because we feel they do very well in the service areas that are important to us. 

 

I think some of you may find that you enjoy life more if you make your goal to enjoy each moment of every cruise as much as possible and try not to worry about what level you are and what freebie/perk you might miss out on.  Sure, Celebrity has gotten a lot of your money if you've achieved a high level in the loyalty club, but hopefully the cruises you've gotten for that money have been full of fun times and yielded great memories and friendships, and they haven't just been a stepping stone to a higher Captain's Club level. We was supposed to hit the next level after our next two cruises, but would be perfectly fine with them eliminating the Captain's Club perks if that would help the company survive.  We cruise for the cruises, not for the levels and perks.

 

Anyone who thinks the cruise lines can just bounce back to "normal" when they get the go ahead to cruise if fooling themselves. The world has changed due to this pandemic and we shouldn't expect everything to go back to the way it was before. Unfortunately, that includes the products provided by our favorite businesses, including the cruise lines.  Sanity will be found in flexibility, acceptance that there will be changes, and figuring out how to best adapt. Life is too short to always look at the negatives. 

SunsetPoint very well stated.  Thank You!

[uktog]

Viking do not give onboard perks in recognition of loyalty or have suite lounges.  That may suit some better

[weregoingcruising]

36 minutes ago, SunsetPoint said:

Honestly, some of the posts on here have me shaking my head.  First, for those who claim to be heading to other cruise lines due to a change in perks, I think it's reasonable to assume that there may be changes in other lines as well since every line was hit by the pandemic effect.  Yesterday's Viking, Oceana or whatever may not be tomorrow's Viking, Oceana or whatever.  Second, some of you make it sound like you had to ENDURE many cruises to get you to your Captains Club level and getting to a higher level was the goal rather than the goal being to enjoy some wonderful cruises.

 

I guess I have a different viewpoint. We cruise to enjoy the moment... to enjoy the views and destinations, the onboard entertainment, the food and drink, the interesting staff, and meeting other cruisers. If, along the way, we pick up some perks because we've reached a higher loyalty club level, that's cool.  However, we chose our cruises for the destinations/itinerary and dates, and for what the ship offers in service, comfort level, entertainment, food and drink (and I don't mind paying for the level of drinks I prefer). We like the Celebrity experience because we feel they do very well in the service areas that are important to us. 

 

I think some of you may find that you enjoy life more if you make your goal to enjoy each moment of every cruise as much as possible and try not to worry about what level you are and what freebie/perk you might miss out on.  Sure, Celebrity has gotten a lot of your money if you've achieved a high level in the loyalty club, but hopefully the cruises you've gotten for that money have been full of fun times and yielded great memories and friendships, and they haven't just been a stepping stone to a higher Captain's Club level. We was supposed to hit the next level after our next two cruises, but would be perfectly fine with them eliminating the Captain's Club perks if that would help the company survive.  We cruise for the cruises, not for the levels and perks.

 

Anyone who thinks the cruise lines can just bounce back to "normal" when they get the go ahead to cruise if fooling themselves. The world has changed due to this pandemic and we shouldn't expect everything to go back to the way it was before. Unfortunately, that includes the products provided by our favorite businesses, including the cruise lines.  Sanity will be found in flexibility, acceptance that there will be changes, and figuring out how to best adapt. Life is too short to always look at the negatives. 

I also feel grateful and not resentful. Celebrity has always honored the deal I made with them for our cruises. I paid them  X amount of money for them to provide a certain experience that they always did. I never expected the extras given us for loyalty would always be there. I hope the Lisa bashers and constant complainers are able to find happiness on another cruise line insuring I don't meet them on Celebrity.

[If only]

2 hours ago, SunsetPoint said:

Honestly, some of the posts on here have me shaking my head.  First, for those who claim to be heading to other cruise lines due to a change in perks, I think it's reasonable to assume that there may be changes in other lines as well since every line was hit by the pandemic effect.  Yesterday's Viking, Oceana or whatever may not be tomorrow's Viking, Oceana or whatever.  Second, some of you make it sound like you had to ENDURE many cruises to get you to your Captains Club level and getting to a higher level was the goal rather than the goal being to enjoy some wonderful cruises.

 

I guess I have a different viewpoint. We cruise to enjoy the moment... to enjoy the views and destinations, the onboard entertainment, the food and drink, the interesting staff, and meeting other cruisers. If, along the way, we pick up some perks because we've reached a higher loyalty club level, that's cool.  However, we chose our cruises for the destinations/itinerary and dates, and for what the ship offers in service, comfort level, entertainment, food and drink (and I don't mind paying for the level of drinks I prefer). We like the Celebrity experience because we feel they do very well in the service areas that are important to us. 

 

I think some of you may find that you enjoy life more if you make your goal to enjoy each moment of every cruise as much as possible and try not to worry about what level you are and what freebie/perk you might miss out on.  Sure, Celebrity has gotten a lot of your money if you've achieved a high level in the loyalty club, but hopefully the cruises you've gotten for that money have been full of fun times and yielded great memories and friendships, and they haven't just been a stepping stone to a higher Captain's Club level. We was supposed to hit the next level after our next two cruises, but would be perfectly fine with them eliminating the Captain's Club perks if that would help the company survive.  We cruise for the cruises, not for the levels and perks.

 

Anyone who thinks the cruise lines can just bounce back to "normal" when they get the go ahead to cruise if fooling themselves. The world has changed due to this pandemic and we shouldn't expect everything to go back to the way it was before. Unfortunately, that includes the products provided by our favorite businesses, including the cruise lines.  Sanity will be found in flexibility, acceptance that there will be changes, and figuring out how to best adapt. Life is too short to always look at the negatives. 

Very well said, totally agree with you.  We cruise as we just love the atmosphere & the cruises we have done in th past & will hopefully do so in the future,

Edited November 21, 2020 by If only

[shavdog]

I'm not interested in arguing about the changes that are going into place....we enjoy crusing and for the most part come away feeling very good about our vacation...the only thing I would say is that I think Celebrity created this issue by handing out incentives for ...".the more you cruise the more we give you".....by having parties recognizing the zenith members,  etc.....

[cangelmd]

2 hours ago, SunsetPoint said:

Honestly, some of the posts on here have me shaking my head.  First, for those who claim to be heading to other cruise lines due to a change in perks, I think it's reasonable to assume that there may be changes in other lines as well since every line was hit by the pandemic effect.  Yesterday's Viking, Oceana or whatever may not be tomorrow's Viking, Oceana or whatever.  Second, some of you make it sound like you had to ENDURE many cruises to get you to your Captains Club level and getting to a higher level was the goal rather than the goal being to enjoy some wonderful cruises.

 

I guess I have a different viewpoint. We cruise to enjoy the moment... to enjoy the views and destinations, the onboard entertainment, the food and drink, the interesting staff, and meeting other cruisers. If, along the way, we pick up some perks because we've reached a higher loyalty club level, that's cool.  However, we chose our cruises for the destinations/itinerary and dates, and for what the ship offers in service, comfort level, entertainment, food and drink (and I don't mind paying for the level of drinks I prefer). We like the Celebrity experience because we feel they do very well in the service areas that are important to us. 

 

I think some of you may find that you enjoy life more if you make your goal to enjoy each moment of every cruise as much as possible and try not to worry about what level you are and what freebie/perk you might miss out on.  Sure, Celebrity has gotten a lot of your money if you've achieved a high level in the loyalty club, but hopefully the cruises you've gotten for that money have been full of fun times and yielded great memories and friendships, and they haven't just been a stepping stone to a higher Captain's Club level. We was supposed to hit the next level after our next two cruises, but would be perfectly fine with them eliminating the Captain's Club perks if that would help the company survive.  We cruise for the cruises, not for the levels and perks.

 

Anyone who thinks the cruise lines can just bounce back to "normal" when they get the go ahead to cruise if fooling themselves. The world has changed due to this pandemic and we shouldn't expect everything to go back to the way it was before. Unfortunately, that includes the products provided by our favorite businesses, including the cruise lines.  Sanity will be found in flexibility, acceptance that there will be changes, and figuring out how to best adapt. Life is too short to always look at the negatives. 

Thank you for a non-trolling voice of sanity. We all need to take a deep breath. Some things may very well change as the first months of cruising go on, some may not. We can adapt, or we can move on, both are OK.

[LGW59]

On 11/18/2020 at 6:14 PM, Baron Barracuda said:

And if you thought Cafe Al Bacio lines were long when most had bev pkg hate to think what they'll be like now that everyone has it.

Stay in a suite and ask your butler to bring it for you while you sit on your balcony

[LGW59]

On 11/18/2020 at 1:31 PM, uktog said:

Well said I am assuming we can say no thank you (being polite, would actually like to say something far far stronger).  I am sure some will relish in their "celebrity status" so enough will say yes but I expect several will think like us Phil

Interview w/the cruise director, meet and greet or drinks etc with officers...let me think, 🙄

[LGW59]

On 11/18/2020 at 2:43 PM, Orator said:

Do you believe that many "Top Cruisers" would do a televised interview with the CD? I know that most Zeniths I know try to keep a low profile.

A "low profile"  kind of humorous, do they walk around with dark glasses and caps pulled down low so no-one recognizes them for zenith status?

[excitedofharpenden]

30 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

A "low profile"  kind of humorous, do they walk around with dark glasses and caps pulled down low so no-one recognizes them for zenith status?

Most I know are very low profile. You'd never know. Others not so much. The same can be said of those staying in a suite. 

 

Phil 

[basenji56]

On 11/19/2020 at 11:23 PM, mregis said:

If you have a problem fitting in a trip or 2 before they expire, you can cash them in @ 100%. You lose the extra 25%, which was only an incentive to keep people from asking for refunds which would impact the cash flow of the cruise line.  

Sadly, this is not true unless Celebrity cancelled the initial cruise.  If you cancelled under the Cruise with Confidence, you are limited to FCC, not cash.

 

I have had FCCs from later cancelled cruises, but I still can't get cash because I cancelled the initial cruise under the Cruise with Confidence program.

[basenji56]

On 11/19/2020 at 9:59 PM, ChucktownSteve said:

One thing I learned in business was give my customers something with a high perceived value and low out of pocket cost for FREE.  They renewed for years.  Guess Queen Lisa never thought of that.  She does  the opposite.  Take away something with perceived value and hide the charge for it.

I was looking at prices today.  With the devaluation of the Captains Club benefits, there is even less incentive to book Concierge Class unless you *really* love those afternoon canapes....